A question for you: do you think we’re slightly more inclined to gives girls nickname-proof names? The thought had never occurred to me – if anything, I tend to prefer nickname-proof boy names. But I was writing another nicknames post – like this one about unexpected nicknames for Penelope, and this one about unexpected nicknames for Charles – and I realized something.
When I post questions about nicknames for girls’ names, I often hear “Why not just name her [nickname] instead?” But that article for Charles nicknames? It’s among the most read posts here, ever.
And so I’m wondering: even though it’s fading, is there still a slightly stronger impulse to name our sons after their fathers and grandfathers? One that prompts us to seek out unconventional nicknames for the second or third Charles in the family? Or could it be that we see Eliza as a reasonable way to name a daughter after grandma Elizabeth, but feel like only James will do to name a son after grandpa Jim?
Curious to hear your thoughts, because I’m not sure if I’m imagining this – or really on to something!
Now, elsewhere in NamingLand:
- The ‘m’ is just there to confuse Americans – ha! How can it be that I’ve seen Domhnall Gleeson in bunches of movies, but never knew his name until this? And it goes without saying that I certainly couldn’t pronounce it right …
- I guess awards season is also the time for Irish actors to explain their names to the media, because I got a kick out of this clip of Saoirse Ronan teaching Stephen Colbert how to pronounce her name – and a bunch of others!
- A toddler called Moses! Living around the place that I used to call home as a teenager! Which is generally not a hotbed of super-stylish names, so I feel like I need to use a few more exclamation points!
- I get that this is just what gossip sites do, speculate that every female celebrity above the age of 16 and below the age of 46 is expecting. Especially Jennifer Aniston. But this time it’s Gwen Stefani. And while I’m sure it’s pure invention, I would love to know the names Gwen considered, but discarded, for her three boys. And Sedona is kind of great, just on the very off chance that there is another baby in her future.
- Speaking of not completely reliable headlines, if this is true, Finn could be the new #1 name for boys, at least amongst the 1,000 readers of Channel Mum. (Though I can’t find the original data on their vlog – anyone see it?)
- Ooh … a Charles nicknamed Huck! And yes, it’s a family name. Really interesting consult up at Swistle on a name for this family’s fifth child, and fourth son.
- Not so long ago, Oprah spoke of naming the baby that she lost. The name she chose was Canaan. Now Names for Real has spotted a Canaan Cornelius.
- While we’re namespotting – not one, but two boys called Hubert!
- Excellent points about “endangered” and “extinct” names from Anna at Waltzing More than Matilda.
- A fascinating look at Arabic names in the US from The Art of Naming.
That’s all for this week! As always, thank you for reading – and have a great week!
Of course there is a MUCH larger impulse to name sons after fathers. Just look at online nurseries, many are named so. It is what is keeping names like John, Charles or Robert still in the top100.
Otherwise they’d still be considered dated grandpa names by now, amongst other “classics”.
Charles nicknamed Huck… Awesome name!
Good article about so called endangered names.
I’m not sure how much it’s even fading, or can be expected to fade.
If you look at the SSA data for 1984 (my birth year, so I figure it’s a very average “mom” birth year), well over half of the male names in the top 20s are ones I’d be completely unsurprised to encounter on a baby boy. Girl names…I guess I wouldn’t be that surprised to meet a baby Sarah or Elizabeth, and I have met a Rachel. But almost all the rest are decidedly out of style.
Go back to my mom’s generation (1953)…more good, solid, classic male names (except for poor Gary). And more dowdy sounding grandma names on the female side.
Basically, because there’s a long standing tradition of passing down male names, the most common male names have become timeless in a way that very few female names are. So even if people want to be equitable about honoring both of their parents, it’s harder to balance that with being stylish on the female side.